Crick earns first golf check at Omaha meet

Brian Alspaugh/Omaha Camera Club Former McCook High School and University of Nebraska-Lincoln standout Brandon Crick follows through on his tee shot on the ninth hole July 31 during the third round of the Cox Classic at the Champions Run course in Omaha. Crick eagled the ninth hole.

OMAHA -- A former McCook High School standout is taking money to the bank.

Brandon Crick earned his first professional paycheck on the golf course at the 2010 Cox Classic Presented by Lexus of Omaha. The Nationwide Tour event was contested Thursday through Sunday, July 29-Aug. 1, at the Champions Run course in Omaha.

Crick, playing in his first professional golf event, earned a modest payday as he finished in a four-way tie for 46th place in the final standings with a 72-hole total of 273 strokes following Sunday's action. The former Bison star shot 18-hole rounds of 68 both Thursday and Friday for a 36-hole score of six-under par 136. Crick barely made the cut, as 136 was the cutoff to advance to the weekend rounds. A total of 63 golfers made the cut out of 156 total entries in the Omaha tournament.

Brian Alspaugh/Omaha Camera Club Brandon Crick lines up a putt during his round Saturday at the Cox Classic. Crick was competing as a professional for the first time in his golf career, and he finished in a tie for 46th place at the annual Omaha Nationwide Tour event.

Brandon then shot 69 Saturday on the par 71, 7,145 Champions Run course, followed by another 68 in Sunday's final 18 holes. Crick's total earnings totaled $2,655.

Crick finished a stellar college career last spring at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as he qualified for the NCAA National Championships. A three-time Class B state meet medalist at McCook High School, Crick decided to turn professional, with the Omaha Nationwide Tour event marking his pro debut.

Crick finished 12 strokes out of first place at the Cox Classic. Martin Piller won the tournament with a 23-under par score of 261. Piller had rounds of 69 and 66 on the first two days of the tournament for a 135, but he caught fire over the weekend with a 62 Saturday and 64 Sunday to claim the first-place prize of $130,500.

The Cox Classic had a total purse of $725,000.